Page 143 of As the World Falls

“I think you should go,” I say, rising from my chair. “I think we need some space apart for a little while to let things calm down.”

He stood now, moving too quickly and close for my liking. Everything about him felt wrong. It felt like I didn’t know who he was; this version of him was unrecognizable. Where he’d always been calm and reliable, he was jumpy and erratic. I was starting to get a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I back away after he’s moved closer, but he only closes in more, and then his hands shoot out, gripping around my wrists. “Don’t do this,” he begs desperately. I stare into his bloodshot eyes that hold a deep rage I’ve never seen him wear before.

“Let go. You’re hurting me,” I tell him, but he doesn’t. In fact, it feels like he holds me tighter, pulling me a step toward him. I didn’t understand how he could hold me so tight with one arm in a sling, but he was.

“I won’t lose you to him. Do you know what kind of man he is, Cecilia? He’s a criminal.”

“You’re the one I don’t know right now. Let go of me,” I say louder, struggling against his grip.

I hear footsteps and then the clicking of a gun that makes both of us look over to Marco standing in the doorway to the living room, aiming his gun at Lance. “Release her now and step away,” he says in a lethal voice.

Lance lets go instantly, raising both hands as he takes two steps back from me. Marco takes a step toward him, but then Lance reaches behind him, moving so fast that neither I nor Marco expected, and he pulls a gun out from his back and then…

He shoots Marco.

Marco falls to the floor, gripping his chest. An uncontrollable scream rips from me, and I race to the floor, my knees smacking hard against the wood as I place both hands on his chest, that was quickly becoming covered in blood.

“Wait. Wait. Wait,” I cry, not knowing what to do. What the hell just happened? Lance shot him. He has a freaking gun, and he shot him. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t wrap my brain around any of this. “I don’t know what to do,” I cry more, putting pressure on his chest.

Marco groans, slowly sliding his gun into my hands. “Run,” he groans. “Run. Now.”

My hand grips the gun, but I don’t move. I feel like I can’t. I feel frozen in place, my shock and fear rooting me right here, unable to leave his side.

“Damnit!” I hear Lance roar behind me. “Look what you made me do, Lia. I didn’t want to do this, but you won’t listen!”

Tears stream down my face as my hands stay planted on Marco’s chest, but he shoves them away. I don’t miss how slowly he moves or how his breaths become shorter, but his voice is still strong and urgent as he barks orders at me. “Run,” he shouts again. “Go! Now!”

I feel Lance moving toward me, and every one of my instincts feels like they kick in, like a drug coursing through me and making me move quicker than ever. I get up, gripping the gun tighter in my hand, and I run.

I take off from the living room and through the foyer until I bust out of the front door. I was hoping Tobias would be here by now or pulling up to the house, but it’s just Lance’s car out front I see when I look around.

“Cecilia!” his deranged roar comes from inside the house. He was coming after me. I could hear the echoes of his scream looming closer and closer.

I take off again through the driveway and dive behind his car to hide. I glance behind me, seeing that the gates are closed, and for once, I feel like an idiot because I never bothered to get the code. So far, James, my brother, and Marco have been drivingme in and out of here and putting in the code, so I have never needed it yet. I was really beating myself up about it now.

I place my hands against the side of his car, peeking through the windows toward the house, when I see Lance walk outside, stopping on the front steps, his gaze bouncing around. “I know you’re out here,” he yells. “Come out. I’m not going to hurt you.” His gun hangs in his hand at his side as he waits and listens for me.

I don’t move or make a sound. I lower my gaze to look around me when something in the back seat of his car catches my eye. Three faces stare back at me from the car seat—a mask like the one from the night of the ball.

I let out a gasp just as my hand flew to my mouth to stifle the sound. It was him. He was there that night—the man with the triple-faced mask. I didn’t understand how or why, but I knew there was no other explanation. It made sense now, the way that same creepy mask had followed me around all night. It had been him all along.

My hands shake as I brace myself against the car. I had maybe one minute to figure out my next move because he had to know I hadn’t left the property. He would have heard and seen the gate open if I had left. He knows I’m still here, and he’s not dumb. He knows I’m close.

I see him walk down the stairs and head toward the driveway, and I quickly look around me. I stop when I see the side entrance to the garden.

To the maze.

I look back at him behind the car as his gaze connects with mine through the windows. He begins charging toward the car, and I dash to the side, running straight into the garden.

All I can hear is fallen leaves crunching under my bare feet. I felt like I was moving at lightning speed, but I could still hear his footsteps close behind me.

I come out of the side garden and into the back patio area. I glance behind me, seeing him coming straight for me a few yards behind, and I run again, going straight into the maze entrance.

I weave through the passages, turning as many times as possible, hoping it would lose him quicker. I can still hear him, but he’s further away. My hands traveled my body, looking for pockets, although I knew there weren’t any. This was the worst time to not have a phone on me. I couldn’t access the home security system without my phone or being in the house. How long could I keep running from him? When would Tobias get here, and would he find me in time? Or would he find Lance first and be shot, too?

My heart was racing as all the fear and what-ifs overcame me, and I felt myself slowing down until I stopped to catch my breath. I looked around, not hearing a single noise. Did I lose him? Honestly, I wasn’t sure how deep I had run into the maze or how long I had been running.

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